Disabled Thai lawyer loses legal battle

A disabled Thai lawyer who says he has been rejected from two jobs because of his disability has lost his court case to reverse the employer's decision.

In the second hearing of its kind, the Constitutional Court in Bangkok ruled that the State Attorney Commission had not violated the constitution by barring Sirimit Boonmul from sitting a prosecutor's exam.

The court had taken a similar stance in 1999 when Mr Sirimit applied for an assistant judge's post.

Mr Sirimit, whose disability was caused by childhood polio, says he will appeal against the court's ruling.

The verdict has angered civil rights and lawyers' groups which say they will intensify their campaign to end social and legal bias against the disabled.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service